So, holding true to the old saying that everything is bigger in Texas, the Pin Oak supporters stepped and and donated additional funds to bring the total gift to a Texas-sized $200,042!

Frankie Owens and Diana Stumberg’s Carrida won the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby.

When Frankie Owens returned to ring for the Handy Round of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby after placing fifth in the Classic Round with Carrida, he knew he had nothing to lose.

So, he took the available inside turns and galloped down to the high-option oxers, hoping that Carrida would show off her scope and talent to the judges. Indeed she did.

The pair posted what turned out to be the best Handy Round scores of the night of an 89 and 87, taking all four high options and earning handy bonus points of 8 and a perfect 10. But with four contenders remaining, the end result remained to be seen.

Carrida and Frankie Owens

“It’s one of those things; you never can tell what will happen,” said Owens of holding the lead at that point. “You just hope for the best.”

And his best turned out to be the best. Although Miss Lucy and Jennifer Alfano had won the Classic Round, they couldn’t quite catch Owens in the Handy and settled for second place overall–by .5 points. Tracy Fenney and MTM Silver Alert placed third, and MTM Here’s 2 Your took fourth with Natalee Haggan.

“For sure, it means a lot. I’ve been showing at Pin Oak since I started riding,” said Owens, who earlier in the evening had stood center ring presenting memorial trophies in remembrance of his mother, Candie Owens, who passed away in 2014. “I’m from San Antonio and grew up in Texas. Pin Oak is the Premier show we have all year, so it’s nice to win here.”

Owens, 34, works in concert with his sister and fellow professional, Whitney Owens, and they continue the family’s business at Oakwell Farm. He brought Carrida up through the ranks for owner Diana Stumberg, who shows the chestnut Hanoverian (Chasseur I–Gloria) in the Amateur-Owners.

“Diana horse showed yesterday in the Amateurs, and she was very sweet and gave her the morning off today so she could to the derby tonight,” said Owens. “It obviously paid off. I want to thank Diana; she’s an amazing person, and I feel privileged that I get to ride her horses.”

Miss Lucy and Jennifer Alfano

For Sharon O’Neill’s 16-year-old Miss Lucy, Pin Oak seems to have become a favorite venue. The chestnut Dutch Warmblood mare also placed second during Pin Oak I in the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. She took Week II off and returned fresh and happy once again.

Miss Lucy earned scores of 88 and 86 from the judges in the Classic Round and took all four high options for the best score. She placed third in the Handy Round, only topped by Owens aboard Carrida and Peter Pletcher riding Jamie Jarvis’ Mystique, the latter having won the International Hunter Derby classes during Pin Oak I and II.

MTM Silver Alert and Tracy Fenney

Special thanks to Modern Luxury for sponsoring the Bourbon, Bowties and Big Hats Reception held during the derby.

For full results of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show and the USHJA International Hunter Derby, please visit HorseShowsOnline.

MTM Farm’s MTM One Time, left, and MTM iCarly in the Pin Oak Winner’s Circle

The MTM Farm team traveled home to Texas from Florida just in time for the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show III. They immediately made their presence known, with MTM iCarly capturing the $10,000 Welcome Stake on April 4 with Dorrie Douglas in the irons.

On Wednesday April 5, it was an MTM sweep during the $25,000 Pin Oak Charity Grand Prix. MTM Vivre Le Reve and teenager Brian Moggre took the blue, with Igor Van De Heibos and Tracy Fenney taking second and MTM Full House and Natalee Haggan placing third. Haggan also rode MTM Cravitz to fifth.

MTM Farm swept the $25,000 Pin Oak Charity Grand Prix with the top three placings.

Horses with the MTM prefix also donned tricolor ribbons on the Hunters, with MTM One Time and Douglas winning the 3’6″ Green Hunter championship, and MTM Outbid and Tracy Fenney earning the 3’9″ Green Hunter reserve championship.

“MTM One Time was awesome—he won a class both days,” said Douglas. “The idea is to get him ready for the USHJA International Hunter Derby on Friday. He’s a horse we got last September, and I did him in the Pre-Greens, and he just keeps getting better and stepping up. He’s scopey, easy and has a huge stride. It seems to me the bigger the jumps get, the better he jumps, and as a 7-year-old, he’s really good.”

Brian Moggre and MTM Vivre Le Reve

Douglas described iCarly, her 10-year-old winner in the Welcome Stake, as a perfect little speed horse.

“We’ve had her just under a year now, and I’ve been doing her in some grand prix classes,” said Douglas of the 10-year-old warmblood mare. “She’s super quick. But then she’s also cool because you can leave strides out–I left one out in the jump-off. It’s great that you can have that range and be quick in the jump-off but also leave out strides. She’s great and ready for a kid to go do some Junior/Amateur classes and some grand prix classes.”

Douglas, of Flower Mound, Texas, thanked MTM Farm’s Mike McCormick and Tracy Fenney for their generosity in allowing her to ride the horses. “It’s great to be back at Pin Oak and a great start to the week,” she added.

The Green Hunters of SBS Farms raked in the money on April 5 when winning the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive and the Texas Super Stake classes during the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show III.

Kindred, owned by Kathy Chiaf of Edmond, Oklahoma, jumped to a score of 84 and 88 with Alfano and captured the Texas Super Stake 3’ and 3’3” and $1,290, as well as the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive and another $690. Kindred also claimed the 3’3″ Green Hunter tricolor for a ribbon-filled week.

Trainer Susie Schoellkopf, of Buffalo, New York, described Kindred as a talented, classic hunter type and one that caught their eye immediately a year ago when they purchased him in Florida as a 5-year-old.

“Trainer Linda Hough named him. She happened to see him when we tried him in Ocala. She thought he was a special horse as did we,” said Schoellkopf. “When Jen and I looked at him, we couldn’t even look at each other as the people were riding him. And then as we drove out we said, ‘OK, we’re buying him.’”

Although Kindred traveled to Pin Oak for the three-week show series, he only competed Week III because he arrived in Texas from Florida slightly dehydrated.

“We sent him to the clinic for a day, which turned out to be nothing,” said Schoellkopf. “And, this week he was fresh and jumped beautifully. He’s a really special horse and worth taking our time with. I think he has a beautiful look and a beautiful way of going, and his jump is spectacular.”

Alfano also guided her own Candid to the High Performance Conformation Hunter championship over reserve champion Gabli, owned by Carolyn M. Elsey and ridden by Daniel Bedoya.

Didi Mackenzie and MTM Do Right

Amateur rider Didi Mackenzie wasn’t intimidated by the professionals as she rode MTM Do Right to the 3’9″ Green Hunter Championship. Her consistently beautiful rounds received ample applause from her many supporters, including husband and co-owner Kenny Mackenzie, Colleen McQuay, Mike McCormick and Tracy Fenney, who earned the reserve championship aboard MTM Outbid.

Best Young Horse Will Emblazon, with handler/owner Rachelle Goebel and Felicia Carroll.

Rachelle Goebel’s Will Emblazon captured the 2-year-old class and Best Young Horse title on April 3 at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show III under judge Betty Oare.

The impressive bay Oldenburg (Willemoes–Anastazia) was bred by His Cat Farm and handled by Goebel, of Montgomery, Texas.

Will Emblazon comes from a line of successful Hunter Breeding horses, and his dam, Anastazia, was crowned Best Young Horse at the Devon Horse Show in 2004 and ’05. Will Emblazon placed third at Devon as a yearling and finished fifth in the United States Equestrian Federation Horse of the Year standings and won the Zone 7 championship as well as the Texas Super Series grand championship.

Goebel purchased Will Emblazon as a 5-month-old, and she and her sister, Felicia Carroll, have shown him together.

Will Emblazon and Rachelle Goebel

“This year we just started him back here at Pin Oak,” said Goebel. “We’re just starting to do some other things with him—he’s too smart for his own good! So, we want to challenge him, and we’re starting to put a saddle on him now and playing with him that way.

While Goebel showed Will Emblazon, Felicia stood ringside offering support and taking photos and videos. “I work a lot and couldn’t do this without Felicia,” said Goebel. “She showed him most of last year.”

Winning the Best Young Horse title meant a lot to Goebel as she’d earned a reserve championship previously but never captured the top prize.

“We were talking about that, and now we have the dinner collection (with the china given by Pin Oak),” she said with a laugh. “We have used them for holidays, and it’s actually fun to have all the plates and now the bowl.”

Barbara Bailey’s West End Girl earned the Jane Queener Best Young Horse Trophy.

Robert Moyar showed Barbara Bailey’s West End Girl (Westporte–Sands Of Time) to the Best Young Horse reserve championship. By virtue of her two previous BYH titles and this week’s reserve, the elegant bay 3-year-old won the Jane Queener Best Young Horse Trophy for the series.

The 73rd Annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show wrapped up Weeks I and II at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. It was twice the fun for Christian Heineking and Peter Pletcher, as each rider won the featured Jumper and Hunter competitions, respectively, both weeks.

The tradition that surrounds this USEF Heritage horse show continues in 2018, with the first week highlighting American Saddlebreds, sponsored by Bluebonnet Farm, in addition to Hunters and Jumpers. Pin Oak is also thrilled to welcome back title sponsors Irish Day Farm and PJP Farm, for weeks II and III, respectively.

Peter Pletcher swept the top three places in the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during Week II aboard Mystique, Bring It On and Quintessential.

While celebrating Week II’s Northern Trust Fiesta Ringside Gala on Friday night, Pin Oak proudly presented a check for $198,000 to Texas Children’s Hospital. Since 1945, the horse show has now donated more than $6.8 million to the hospital thanks to the generous support of sponsors and donors.

During Weeks I and II, it was Christian Heineking who led the victory gallop in the Amalaya Investments/Oasis Petroleum $30,000 Grand Prix as well as the The Hildebrand Fund $30,000 Grand Prix.

And while his consecutive victories were impressive, what made the events even more special was that his family joined him center stage—Christian’s wife, Erin Davis-Heineking and “cousin” Daniel Bedoya finished right behind him in both Grand Prix classes. Bedoya was second riding Quattro each week and third with Quilona V Z during Week I, and Erin placed fourth aboard Leonie Week I and moved up to place third Week II.

“We’re all related, believe it or not,” said Erin. “My cousin’s daughter is married to Daniel, so, basically, he’s my second cousin-in-law. We call each other cousins, and that’s why we had to get a photo together during the awards. We’re all so close.”

Erin just started showing Leonie, a 9-year-old Oldenburg mare and returned to the show ring at Pin Oak after nearly a year off. “She’s Christian’s horse, and I started showing her last week,” said Erin. “She was in the jump-offs both times this week (also in the Welcome). She’s a really good horse.”

Erin was first to go in the six-horse jump-off during the Week II Grand Prix, with her husband, Bedoya and Briley Koerner set to chase her down. With a double-clear effort, she set the pace–but the guys caught her.

Christian Heineking and NKH Calango

“I realized that being married to Christian, and since we go to the same horse shows, I’ve been second to him a lot,” she said laughing. “I think if we weren’t married and went to different horse shows I might have a lot more blue ribbons, but it’s worth it! It means a lot. He’s made me a much better rider.”

Koerner placed fourth aboard her impressive For Jef VD Wezelse and won the U25 section, sponsored by Booth Show Jumpers. After securing the victory aboard Calango, Christian chose not to jump off aboard his other two qualified mounts, NKH Selena, winner earlier in the week of the $25,000 Pin Oak Charity Grand Prix, and NKH Carrido. So, it was a family sweep of the top three places.

Peter Pletcher, of PJP Farm in Magnolia, Texas, topped the card both weeks in the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby aboard Jamie Jarvis’ Mystique. Pletcher also took second and third places Week II with Bring It On and Quintessential.

“I think it’s great that all three horses went as well as they did,” he said. “Two of them are basically brand new rides, and Mystique is just getting really good at the derbies. She loves it, jumps great and is really careful. It all worked well.”

Jarvis, who shows Mystique in the Amateur-Owner Hunter section, was thrilled with her mare’s performances. “It’s super special to me to win here, and we’re going for the Trifecta,” she said as Pin Oak starts the third week on April 3. “It’s so nice to be back at Pin Oak and show with your friends and colleagues. Everyone pulls for everyone, and it’s really nice. I’m thankful for Peter—he puts his whole heart and soul into it.”

“He’s fun and super straightforward,” said Grace of the 9-year-old gelding she purchased on March 14. “When I tried him, I loved his jump and that he could take a joke like no one’s business, because I can give plenty and be a real comedian on him! And this was Peter’s first time to sit on him, right before the class.

“I showed him in two classes this morning in the Adult Amateurs and showed him the distances not to take,” Grace joked. “And, then Peter got on him and showed him the distances that would probably be a better choice.”

Barbara Bailey’s West End Girl (Westporte—Sands Of Time) took Best Young Horse honors both weeks with Robert Moyar handling.

Barbara Bailey’s West End Girl, with Robert Moyar handling, earned the Best Young Horse title during Weeks I and II.

“She’s coming along nicely. She had a successful year this year and is about to get underway under saddle. We were blessed to have Oliver Brown join us, and what an exciting class,” said Moyar of the Virginia-based trainer/handler who traveled to Texas and earned the reserve Best Young Horse title with Diane Garza’s Rococo. “It was a wonderful victory, so we’re happy. I know Barb is extremely happy to have bred her, because you never know what you’re going to get in the beginning. And to see them grow and progress is really rewarding. This has been her year as a 3-year-old. She’s really blossomed.”

During Week I, the American Saddlebred divisions, sponsored by Bluebonnet Farm, took their turn around The Lincoln Motor Company Main Indoor Ring.

The Faces of Pin Oak Featuring Keely McIntosh | Grand Prix Champion

Keely McIntosh of Magnolia TX has been attending the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy,TX since she was a little girls, and is now getting to live out one of her earliest dreams in life, to compete in the Grand Prix at Pin Oak. Keely was the Under 25 Grand Prix Champion in 2017. Keely with the encouragement and support of her mom, Jenny Booth of Booth Show Jumpers, now travels all over the country showing her horses, including Sulli, who had his day in the spotlight during the Faces of Pin Oak Shoot.

BLACK TIE FORMAL LOOK

When I started searching for the perfect dress for Keely to wear for her formal look I came across the Yoana Baraschi Oscar Wild Dinner Dress on Rent the Runway and knew it was the perfect look for Keely. It is super important to pick items for pictures that will give you shape and the best way to do so is to look for items with structure to create that look and shape at all times. We paired this dress with a gorgeous Turquoise Statement necklace from Texas Silver Rush to help tie in the teal color in Trap’s Bow Tie & Pocket Square from E. F. Meeks.

The Faces of The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Featuring Trapp O’Neal

Trapp O’Neal is there owner and trainer at TKO Sporthorses in Magnolia,TX. Trapp & his mount Capitano are two time Pin Oak Grand Prix Champions. For the Faces of Pin Oak shoot, Trapp was photographed with Kid, who is owned by Sarah Meyer. Kidd was quite the ham and loved every moment of being the center of attention for pictures. Trapp shares that his favorite part about showing at Pin Oak is the crowd and the atmosphere, one Grand Prix nights the energy in the ring is undeniable.

BLACK TIE FORMAL LOOK

When Lauryn, of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, came up to me and let me know that Festari for Men would be providing one of their amazing pieces for the shoot I was ecstatic. They make custom tailored one of kind suits and they are absolutely stunning. They provided us with a Royal Blue Windowpane suit for Trapp to wear. Trapp also wore a Cavalleria Toscana button down dress shirt from Luxe Eq with his suit. We paired this look with a bow tie & pocket square from one of my favorite equestrian tie shops, E.F. Meeks. E.F. Meeks makes bow ties, ties, and pocket squares that are perfect for the equestrian. If you are attending an equestrian event or derby party and need the perfect statement piece you have to check out their store.